Saturday Slam: Can LeBron James deliver a title to Los Angeles?

Like every summer, NBA free agency has been wild. Lots of unexpected moves have happened and I aim to address many of these moves in the coming weeks. If there's one move that I need to first address, it's LeBron James' decision to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Los Angeles Lakers on a four-year, $154M deal. Joining James in Los Angeles will be former adversary Lance Stephenson and journeyman point guard Rajon Rondo, who both agreed to free agent deals with the Lakers shortly after James.

James' decision to leave Cleveland for Los Angeles could produce the most interesting chapter of his career, but only if he wins a championship. James cannot finish his career in Los Angeles without winning a ring if he wants any hope of improving his legacy. He knows this and seems up to the challenge.

The biggest hurdle standing in James' way is the Golden State Warriors, who appear poised to win the NBA championship for the next three years. The Warriors have a proven championship formula in place while the Lakers have a lot of question marks outside of James. Rajon Rondo and Lance Stephenson are both curious additions to say the least. While both guys are talented, I could easily see them not producing the desired results that James hopes they will. They both have a history of creating some friction in NBA locker rooms and have only really found success in one environment, Rondo in Boston and Stephenson in Indiana. While adding both Rondo and Stephenson, the Lakers lost Julius Randle to the New Orleans Pelicans, a guy who many felt had the chance to be a key piece for the franchise going forward.

                                          (David Richard-USA TODAY Sports) 

Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram are both talented pieces who should promise to get better over the coming seasons. While there are rumors of the Lakers possibly moving Ingram and/or Ball in order to get Kawhi Leonard, I personally think it would be wise for them to keep both of those guys around. They shouldn't make the mistake the Cleveland Cavaliers made, which was to trade a young promising player (Andrew Wiggins) for a more established veteran (Kevin Love). With those two guys learning from James, the Lakers can be assured that they'll be in good hands after his departure.

While there are still a lot of pieces that need to fall into place, I personally believe LeBron James can deliver a title to Los Angeles. As we saw in Cleveland, he doesn't need much around him to make things competitive and with a better cast around him, it would be foolish to rule out his chances. He's too talented to dismiss and given that he has four years to make it happen, I think there are good odds he'll strike it rich at least once.

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Skyhook Sunday: The Toronto Raptors need a bad boy

Once again, the Toronto Raptors fell victim to the late game of heroics of LeBron James, watching him bank in a game winner to give the Cleveland Cavaliers a 3-0 lead in the series.



While LeBron James continues to show why he's the best player in the NBA, the Raptors continue to show that they are lacking a key ingredient necessary for them to win a championship. While losing at the hands of one of the games' greatest players isn't reason to hit the reset button, the Raptors clearly have work to do in the offseason to get themselves over the hump next year.

While some may say that DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry isn't enough of a one-two punch, I don't think talent is where the Raptors are lacking. They have plenty of talent. The issue lies in them not having an irritant. Somebody who can play dirty and get under the skin of LeBron James a bit.

Nobody on this team is willing to muck things up or even so much as attempt to get inside the head of LeBron James. The Raptors are like a boy band without a bad boy. They need a bad boy. Somebody to give them an edge.

When you look back on some of the most recent teams to win NBA championships, almost all of them had a guy who qualified as a bad boy/irritant. The Golden State Warriors have Draymond Green, the Cavaliers have JR Smith, the Dallas Mavericks had DeShawn Stevenson, the Chicago Bulls had Dennis Rodman, etc. Even more recently, the Indiana Pacers were able to make things competitive against LeBron James thanks to the presence of Lance Stephenson, who isn't afraid to go off the rails and get in LeBron James' grill.

                                         (Screenshot from YouTube) 

As presently constructed, the Raptors are too afraid to even so much as lay a hand on LeBron James. They don't stand up to him. They let him walk all over them and then when he hits a game winning shot, they act all stunned and surprised, expecting us to feel sorry for them. This attitude needs to change. The Raptors need someone on their team to get angry and not tolerate getting beat like this. They need somebody to start a fight, throw a punch, do something to create some competitive tension.

I'm not advocating the Raptors clothesline LeBron James or anything like that. But what I am advocating for is somebody to stand up to him and make it clear that they aren't going to back down. They need somebody to try to wrestle a ball away from him, blow in his ear, or do anything that might upset him. Winning in sports is as much about the mental side as it is the physical side and right now, the Raptors have nobody that gives them any sort of mental edge over the Cavaliers.

If the Raptors can't draft a bad boy, they need to either pick one up in free agency or via trade. They have to do it. They can keep their core together, but they need to trade a bench player or two for someone who gives them the type of toughness that I'm describing. If they go out and make such an acquisition, I think they'll be poised to make a serious run at a title. If they don't, they'll continue to be a soft team that lacks a spine.

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Fadeaway Friday: Will Lance Stephenson stick in Minnesota?

After appearing to disappear off the map, former Indiana Pacers star Lance Stephenson has resurfaced as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves, signing his second 10-day contract with the team earlier in the week after being a free agent for a short period of time due to an ankle injury. The Timberwolves clearly like Stephenson enough to sign him to a second 10-day contract, but the question is whether or not he'll stick with the team for the remainder of the season and possibly beyond.

Kris Dunn and Tyus Jones haven't really stepped up in Zach LaVine's absence like the Timberwolves hoped they would, making Lance Stephenson an attractive option to give them much needed depth at the point guard position. During his time with the Timberwolves, Stephenson has averaged 4.2 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game on 47.6% shooting from the field, which isn't very good but sadly better production than what Dunn and Jones have been able to provide.

What's amazing is that at this point in time, the 27-37 Timberwolves are 2.5 games back of the 8 seeded Denver Nuggets, making them very much alive for the playoffs. The Timberwolves are a team that actually is in more need of playoff experience than another high draft pick, so they need to do all they can to make a push for the playoffs.

So, when it comes to evaluating Lance Stephenson, the Timberwolves have to assess whether or not having him on their roster helps them make the playoffs. If you look at his raw production, it's hard to argue that he does. If you consider that he's a veteran guy who's been to the Eastern Conference Finals with the Indiana Pacers, you could argue that having him around helps since he knows what it takes to get to the playoffs. It really depends on how you see it.

                                         (Credit: Fox Sports North. Click here for video) 
                         

What I don't know is whether or not Lance Stephenson has been a good locker room guy or not and that is probably what will ultimately determine whether or not he sticks in Minnesota for the rest of the season. Stephenson has had a history of not being a good locker room guy, which is why he's bounced around so much since his days in Indiana. The fact that the Timberwolves signed him to a second 10-day contract indicates that he might be a better locker room guy than he was in Charlotte and that so far, he's fitting in well with their group of guys.

Personally, I certainly hope that Lance Stephenson is able to find a way to stick with the Timberwolves. He's been an entertaining player and one who I still think might have some gas left in the tank if given the right opportunity. The Timberwolves could use the depth at point guard and also the presence of another veteran guy in their locker room. If they were to make the playoffs, Stephenson could be a guy who gets inside the head of Stephen Curry a bit as a defender, so in that vein it actually makes sense for the Timberwolves to keep him.

At the end of the day, this all comes down to whether or not the Timberwolves see him as offering more than just what he's given them on the court. If they see him possessing some intangibles like leadership and veteran experience, odds are good he sticks with them. If on the other hand, they really don't see him offering any of those intangibles, odds are good he gets released from the team after his 10-day contract expires. It's really as simple as that.


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Saturday Slam: Will Lance Stephenson ever find a permanent home?

     After leveraging a breakout season with the Indiana Pacers into a three-year, $27M contract with the Charlotte Hornets in the summer of 2014, Lance Stephenson is now playing for his third team in less than two seasons. He was deemed a distraction while with the Hornets and evidently was creating problems for the Los Angeles Clippers, who just traded him to the Memphis Grizzlies for Jeff Green.
   
     We all knew that Lance Stephenson was somewhat of a head case back when he was with the Pacers. I think him blowing into the ear of LeBron James confirmed that to us, but even amid those silly antics, we still thought of him as a talented head case who could make an impact on any team in the NBA due to his size, defense, and ability to slash to the rim.

     However, the numbers say otherwise. After averaging 13.8 points per game in the 2013-14 season with the Pacers, his scoring averaged dipped to 8.2 points per game with the Hornets last season, and 4.7 points per game with the Clippers this season before being shipped off to Memphis. Interestingly enough, his per 36 minutes numbers haven't dipped that much (14.1 points per game to 10.8 points per game), but what has dipped significantly has been his time on the court (35.3 minutes per game with the Pacers in 2013-14 to 15.8 minutes per game with the Clippers this season).

     What this seems to indicate is that the Indiana Pacers knew how to utilize his talents in ways that no other team has been able to figure out. In Indiana, he was the benefactor of a system that utilized his talents and to his credit, he was good for their system as well. He was a very good player for the Pacers and absolutely deserved all the positive attention that he was getting. Sadly, it now appears likely that he won't ever find that same level of success in a different city. Indiana was great for him and he was great for Indiana.

     So, with that all likely being true, does this mean that Lance Stephenson's only path to success is returning to the Pacers? The answer is maybe and ironically, he'd probably have to return at a discount rate due to his recent struggles. What hasn't helped him is that certainly in Charlotte and even in Los Angeles, he was expected to be a star player who could take over games and help his team make serious noise in the playoffs. It's entirely possible that what he was in Indiana, which was a very good role player, is all that he really is and these other teams have been expecting too much from him.

     What is certainly true is that he doesn't have the right mentality to be a star and he is better off being the third or fourth option behind more experienced and talented veterans. Interestingly enough, Memphis creates such an environment for him. The Grizzlies rely on Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol, and Mike Conley to be their leaders and Lance Stephenson will be asked to provide an extra boost and support, similar to what he was expected to do for the Pacers.

      Much like the Pacers teams that Stephenson was apart of, the Grizzlies win by playing stingy defense and crashing the glass. It's entirely possible that Lance Stephenson returns to form in Memphis and embraces his role as something similar to what he had in Indiana. He has the pieces to make an impact in Memphis, but he'll have to get his mind right and be willing to be a role player as opposed to being a star. If can re-embrace the role player identity, he very well may find his groove again on Beale Street. If he can't re-embrace this identity, odds are good he'll be playing for yet another team in the 2016-17 season with one foot out the door.

Wednesday Windmill: Have the Charlotte Hornets gotten better?

     The Charlotte Hornets have had an interesting summer. They drafted Frank Kaminsky, signed Jeremy Lin, acquired Nicolas Batum from the Trail Blazers at the expense of Noah Vonleh and Gerald Henderson, acquired Spencer Hawes from the Clippers at the expense of Lance Stephenson, signed undrafted rookie Aaron Harrison, and also acquired Jeremy Lamb from the Thunder. In addition to all that, they also let Mo Williams go to the Cavaliers and let Bismack Biyombo go to the Raptors. 

     While they have certainly been active, have they really made themselves better? To a certain extent they have gotten better in the sense that they got rid of some players who weren't really making them better. But, if you define getting better as "improving your chances of making a run in the playoffs," it's hard to say if they have improved amid all these moves. To make sense of all these moves, I will first address who they have acquired and then address who they have lost. 

     The selection of Frank Kaminsky looks good since Kaminsky is one of the more NBA ready rookies in the draft. While his ceiling isn't as high as other players, he comes into the NBA with a lot more polish than most rookies. He should be ready to make an impact in the front court and give Al Jefferson some help inside. As for Spencer Hawes, I would say that he too should be able to give Al Jefferson some additional help inside and perhaps stretch the floor with his outside shooting. 

     As for Nicolas Batum, he's a big name, but his production last season with the Trail Blazers wasn't that good. His scoring averaged dipped to 9.4 points per game while his rebounding and assist numbers also dropped from the previous season despite only playing 2.5 fewer minutes per game. In addition to those numbers dropping, his field goal percentage and  three-point percentage dropped as well. Only his free throw percentage improved, jumping up from 80.3% to 85.7%. 

    If you are wondering why the Trail Blazers were willing to get rid of Nicolas Batum, this is why. His production wasn't very good last season. It seems like the trade between the Hornets and Trail Blazers was really a case of both teams taking each other's trash and nothing more. In essence, Nicolas Batum seems like a nice addition given his name, but in reality, he's nothing to get excited about. 

     In regards to Jeremy Lin, he's nothing more than a solid back up point guard. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but if you think Jeremy Lin is going to bring "Linsanity" to "Buzz City" you are delusional. He averaged 11.2 points, 4.6 assists, and 1.1 steals per game last season with the Lakers, which are solid numbers, but nothing that will bring any real change to your team. 

     Lastly, the addition of guards Aaron Harrison and Jeremy Lamb could be nice, but given that Harrison is an undrafted rookie and Lamb is a guy who gathered dust on the Thunder's bench the past three seasons, there's little reason to expect either of these guys to make a huge impact. 

     In regards to the guys who they lost, Noah Vonleh was a bust, so he's a good guy to get rid of. As for Gerald Henderson and Mo Williams, both of those guys are guys who can put the ball in the basket. Henderson averaged 12.1 points per game last season and Williams averaged 14.2 points per game for the season (Timberwolves and Hornets), but averaged 17.2 points per game during his games with the Hornets. I'm not sure either of those guys are good departures given their scoring abilities. Especially Mo Williams. I think he was a really nice player to have coming off the bench to give Kemba Walker support. 

     In regards to Lance Stephenson, he truly is a good guy to get off the Hornets. He averaged only 8.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and .6 steals per game. His production was poor and he was a distraction off the court, getting under the skin of his own teammates and wreaking havoc in the locker room. Lance Stephenson was like a Hornets nest placed in the team's locker room and I don't mean that in a good way. 

     As for Bismack Biyombo leaving for the Raptors, I don't think he'll be missed given the addition of Frank Kaminsky. Biyombo never lived up to the hype and he could use a change of scenery. The departure of Biyombo is mutually beneficial for both sides. 

    In summary, the Hornets have made a lot of noise but haven't done anything to really improve their team. They've shuffled things around and are trying new things, but it will not get them where they want to get to. They will once again be a team that will be fighting for an eight seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs and nothing more. 

     

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA news 

Daily Dunks: 1/19-1/25

                                                   (Credit: Andy Melton. Click here for source)

Here are the Daily Dunks for January 19, 2015 through January 25, 2015. This page will get updated throughout the week with all the important news. So keep checking this page until a new page is created next week.

Monday's Daily Dunks

#1. The Bucks signed power forward Kenyon Martin to a second 10-day contract (Click here for more info).

#2. Trail Blazers power forward LaMarcus Aldridge suffered a left thumb injury (Click here for more info).

#3. Hornets center Al Jefferson returned against the Timberwolves from his groin injury. He had 8 points and 5 rebounds.

#4. The Knicks signed power forward Lou Amundson and small forward Lance Thomas to second 10-day contracts (Click here for more info).

#5. Pistons center Andre Drummond has been warned for flopping (Click here for more info).

#6. The Heat have put point guard Norris Cole on the trade block (Click here for more info).

#7. Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley returned from his ankle injuries and played against the Mavericks.

#8. Nuggets small forward Danilo Gallinari is targeting a Friday return (Click here for more info).

#9. In the Knicks' win, shooting guard Langston Galloway had 21 points and 5 rebounds.

#10. J.R. Smith had 20 points for the Cavaliers in their win over the Bulls.

Monday's NBA Final Scores

Hornets 105 Timberwolves 80. Warriors 122 Nuggets 79. Mavericks 103 Grizzlies 95.
Wizards 111 76ers 76. Hawks 93 Pistons 82. Clippers 102 Celtics 93. Rockets 110 Pacers 98.
Knicks 99 Pelicans 92. Cavaliers 108 Bulls 94. Raptors 92 Bucks 89. Trail Blazers 98 Kings 94. Suns 115 Lakers 100.

Tuesday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. 76ers guard Tony Wroten is flying to California to see a knee specialist (Click here for details).

#2. Jazz rookie guard Rodney Hood is out until after the all-star break with a left foot inflammation (Click here for details).

#3. The Nuggets assigned guard Erick Green to the D-League to join the Fort Wayne Mad Ants (Click here for details).

#4. The Spurs assigned forward Kyle Anderson to the D-League to join the Austin Spurs (Click here for details).

#5. The Pistons recalled forward Gigi Datome and  guard Spcncer Dinwiddie from the D-League (Click here for details).

#6. Heat center Hassan Whiteside (ankle) is day-to-day and did not travel to Charlotte (Click here for details).

#7. Cavaliers small forward LeBron James (flu) didn't practice and is questionable for Wednesday's game against the Jazz (Click here for details).

#8. The Bucks signed forward Kenyon Martin for the rest of the season (Click here for details).

#9. Trail Blazers power forward LaMarcus Aldridge didn't travel to Phoenix. He will see a hand specialist and get an MRI (Click here for details).

#10. Spurs point guard Tony Parker had 18 points and 7 assists.

Tuesday's NBA Final Scores: 

Thunder 94 Heat 86. Spurs 109 Nuggets 99.

Wednesday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Bucks and power forward Larry Sanders are working on a buyout  (Click here for details).

#2. The Celtics signed guard Andre Dawkins to a 10-day contract (Click here for details).

#3. The Knicks signed forward Lance Thomas to a second 10-day contract (Click here for details).

#4. Pelicans power forward Anthony Davis returned from a three-game absence. He had 29 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals, and 4 blocks.

#5. LeBron James has talked with Ray Allen about a return (Click here for more info).

#6. The GM of the Bulls denies that head coach Tom Thibodeau is in the hot seat (Click here for more info).

#7. Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer will coach the Eastern Conference in the All-Star Game (Click here for more info).

#8. Zach LaVine, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Victor Oladipo, and Mason Plumlee are in the dunk contest (Click here for more info).

#9. Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant tore his rotator cuff against the Pelicans (Click here for more info).

#10. Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook scored 32 points and Thunder small forward Kevin Durant scored 34 points in their win over the Wizards.

Wednesday's NBA Final Scores: 

Cavaliers 106 Jazz 92. Mavericks 98 Timberwolves 75. Grizzlies 92 Raptors 86. Warriors 126 Rockets 113. Knicks 98 76ers 91. Hornets 78 Heat 76. Hawks 110 Pacers 91. Pistons 128 Magic 118. Pelicans 96 Lakers 80. Thunder 105 Wizards 103 (OT). Suns 118 Trail Blazers 113. Nets 103 Kings 100.

Thursday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Bulls plan to match any offer sheet for Jimmy Butler (Click here for more info).

#2. Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum has a wrist injury (Click here for more info).

#3. Hawks small forward Kyle Korver headlines the 3-point shootout at All-Star Weekend (Click here for more info).

#4. The Knicks are shopping guard Pablo Prigioni (Click here for more info).

#5. Bulls point guard Derrick Rose has been cleared to play extended minutes (Click here for more info).

#6. The Grizzlies signed forward Tyrus Thomas to a 10-day contract (Click here for more info).

#7. Here are the NBA All-Star Starters: Eastern Conference: John Wall, Kyle Lowry, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Pau Gasol. Western Conference: Stephen Curry, Kobe Bryant, Anthony Davis, Marc  Gasol, and Blake Griffin.

#8. Trail Blazers power forward LaMarcus Aldridge has a ligament tear in his thumb and will miss 6-8 weeks after surgery (Click here for more details).

#9. Cavaliers small forward Shawn Marion will retire after this season (Click here for more info).

#10. Pelicans point guard Jrue Holiday is out 2-4 weeks with a stress reaction in his right leg (Click here for more info).

Thursday's NBA Final Scores: 

Jazz 101 Bucks 99. Bulls 104 Spurs 81. Celtics 90 Trail Blazers 89. Clippers 123 Nets 84.

Friday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant is likely done for the season (Click here for more info).

#2. The Pelicans signed guard Nate Wolters to a second 10-day contract (Click here for more info).

#3. Celtics center Kelly Olynyk is out one month with an ankle sprain (Click here for more info).

#4. Nets forward Mirza Teletovic is out for the season due to due multiple blood clots in his lungs (Click here for more info).

#5. The Celtics assigned guard Andre Dawkins to the D-League (Click here for more info).

#6. 76ers guard Tony Wroten has a partially torn ACL in his right knee. He'll kneed surgery and is out indefinitely (Click here for more info).

#7. Nuggets guard Ty Lawson got arrested for a DUI (Click here for more info).

#8. Klay Thompson scored 52 points and an NBA record 37 points in the Warriors' win over the Kings.

#9. LeBron James had 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 9 assists for the Cavaliers in their win over the Hornets.

#10. Rockets shooting guard James Harden had 33 points, 6 rebounds, and 10 assists in their win over the Suns.

Friday's NBA Final Scores: 

Pelicans 92 Timberwolves 84. Warriors 126 Kings 101. Raptors 91 76ers 86. Hawks 103 Thunder 93. Cavaliers 129 Hornets 90. Heat 89 Pacers 87. Knicks 113 Magic 106. Bulls 102 Mavericks 98. Spurs 99 Lakers 85. Celtics 100 Nuggets 99. Rockets 113 Suns 111.

Saturday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Trail Blazers power forward LaMarcus Aldridge decided put off thumb surgery. He played against the Wizards and had 26 points and 9 rebounds (Click here for more info).

#2. The Jazz signed guard Elijah Millsap to a three-year deal (Click here fore more details).

#3. Rockets center Dwight Howard injured his ankle and is out indefinitely (Click here for more info).

#4. The Clippers signed guard Dahntay Jones to a second 10-day contract (Click here for more info).

#5. Pistons point guard Brandon Jennings suffered a torn left Achilles' tendon, ending his season (Click here for more info).

#6. Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade says NBA players need to be protected from crazy fans (Click here for more info).

#7. The Lakers will make a final decision on Kobe Bryant's injury on Monday (Click here for more info).

#8. Cavaliers players  have "lost faith" in their season (Click here for more info).

#9. Grizzlies small forward Jeff Green had 18 points against the 76ers.

#10. Jazz small forward Gordon Hayward had 24 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals against the Nets.

Saturday's NBA Final Scores: 

Grizzlies 101 76ers 83. Jazz 108 Nets 73. Hornets 76 Knicks 71. Bucks 101 Pistons 86. Trail Blazers 103 Wizards 96.

Sunday's Daily Dunks:

#1. Metta World Peace is done in China. He's hoping to sign with an NBA team (Click here for details).

#2. The Kings signed forward Quincy Miller to a second 10-day contract (Click here for details).

#3. Pistons center Andre Drummond  has been warned for flopping (Click here for details).

#4. The Pistons need another point guard with Brandon Jennings out and the Knicks are trying to unload Pablo Prigioni. A trade could happen (Click here for details).

#5. The Hornets and Nets are reportedly discussing a Lance Stephenson/Joe Johnson swap (Click here for details).

#6. Timberwolves forward Robbie Hummel has a fracture in his right hand and is out indefinitely (Click here for details).

#7. Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski has won 1,000 career games (Click here for details).

#8. Clippers guard J.J. Redick has been warned for flopping (Click here for details).

#9 Heat center Hassan Whiteside had 14 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 blocks against the Bulls.

#10.  Danilo Gallinari returned for the Nuggets on Friday from his knee injury (Click here for details).

Sunday's NBA Final Scores: 

Hawks 112 Timberwolves 100. Warriors 114 Celtics 111. Heat 96 Bulls 84. Cavaliers 108 Thunder 98. Pelicans 109 Mavericks 106. Pacers 106 Magic 99. Clippers 120 Suns 100. Spurs 101 Bucks 95. Raptors 114 Pistons 110. Wizards 117 Nuggets 115 (OT). Rockets 99 Lakers 87.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for more NBA news

Wednesday Windmill: The Charlotte Hornets Need To Wake Up

     The Charlotte Hornets are currently 4-15, playing far worse than anybody expected. The expectations put on this team weren't terribly high, but they weren't low, either. Most basketball analysts including myself expected this team to be a threat to win an opening round playoff series, which is why this 4-15 start has all of us scratching our heads and asking "What is going on with this team?".
 
      One might point to the fact that Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Noah Vonleh, and Gary Neal have been injured, but that doesn't explain such a poor start. What explains their poor start is that their "money players" haven't stepped up.
   
     Al Jefferson is averaging 20 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, so he is doing his part, but the other three main players on this team (Lance Stephenson, Gerald Henderson, and Kemba Walker) have all played well below their expectations. Kemba Walker is scoring only 14 points per game, which just won't cut it for a guy who is supposed to be the #2 player on this team.
   
     As for Lance Stephenson, his 9.6 points and 7.7 rebounds per contest is beyond disappointing for a guy who signed a three-year, $27M contract. Stephenson was supposed to be the #3 option on this team who would change them from a playoff pretender to a playoff contender. He has instead done nothing but disappoint and leave Charlotte fans wondering if he was really worth the money or if he was just a good system player in Indiana.

     Gerald Henderson, who averaged 14 points per game last year, is averaging only 6.8 points per game while also producing fewer rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. His drop off has been staggering and nothing short of alarming. Out of all the players who have been struggling, his struggles seem to be the most perplexing.

     Whatever the problem is, whether it's Lance Stephenson failing to deliver or Kemba Walker not playing like a legit #2 option, the Hornets have to change something and make a move to energize themselves. The return of the nickname "Hornets" has energized this city, but it looks like more needs to be done to make "Buzz City" a place where playoff teams don't want to go.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

The Pacers are in a hole, but they aren't dead as they trail the Heat 3-1 in the Eastern Conference Finals

The Indiana Pacers currently trail the Miami Heat 3-1 in the Eastern Conference Finals with Game 5 happening later tonight in Indiana (8:30 PM ET on ESPN). Things no doubt look bleak for the Pacers right now. After taking Game 1 at home against the Heat, things have quickly swung in favor of the Heat, resulting in 3 straight wins for the defending champs. The key problem for the Pacers is that Roy Hibbert has slowed down a little bit after appearing to have found his groove against the Wizards, and Lance Stephenson has virtually disappeared in the last two games of the series, averaging just 9.5 points per game in Games 3 and 4. Stephenson's struggles have been due to foul trouble and a lack of aggression. If the Pacers can get Hibbert and Stephenson to wake up the rest of this series, the Pacers do have a chance, albeit a slim chance. How is that possible? The answer lies in the simple fact that the Pacers have Game 5 and Game 7* (If Necessary) scheduled in Indiana and also the fact that it's really hard to hold serve against a team like the Pacers for an entire series.
     I picked the Pacers before the playoffs started to get to the NBA Finals and I picked them to beat the Heat in 7 games once the series began. The reason was simple: Home court advantage. In the NBA, playing at home is more important than in any other sport. The refs give you the calls, the fans get into the heads of the road team, and role players always play better at home. Those three reasons make it really difficult to win on the road in the playoffs, and  I think should the Pacers force a Game 7, they will win this series.
     As for the Heat, they just have to take care of business at home to beat the Pacers and the series is theirs. But can we really expect the Pacers to go down to Miami for a third time and come up empty handed? I don't think we can. The Pacers have been fantastic on the road this post-season, which means one has to think they get at least one game down in Miami. I think odds look fairly good that this series still goes to a Game 7, and if it does, the Pacers will have home court, which is huge for reasons I just mentioned.
     Now, if the Pacers want to force a Game 7 and walk away winning this series, they have to do two things: Get Lance Stephenson going and get easy buckets inside. Paul George may be the engine of this Pacers team, but Lance Stephenson is what fuels the engine. His hustle, passion, and toughness has been the X-factor for the Pacers all post-season. He doesn't necessarily need to score a lot of points for the Pacers to win this series, but they do need him out on the floor scrapping for loose balls and hustling. If he gets into serious foul trouble early in any game going forward, the Pacers are probably cooked. As for getting easy buckets inside, this is pretty self explanatory. The Pacers aren't a great three point shooting team, but they do possess good low-post scorers. Roy Hibbert and David West have to get a lot of touches going forward and beat up the Heat's vulnerable inside. If the Pacers succeed in the paint, then their odds of winning this series go up dramatically .
     I know that statistically speaking the Pacers look doomed when you look at numbers that say "Only 8 out of 217 teams down 3-1 have come back to win a playoff series" but I still think there is great hope for the Pacers. I think they should win Game 5, and I also think their odds of winning Game 6 aren't crazy low. I think that the third time can be the charm in Miami, which brings us to a Game 7 in Indiana, which I think they would win if they get to that point. I may sound overly optimistic, but all I'm saying is that there's a chance the Pacers win this series, and a chance is all the Pacers need.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA news. My personal twitter handle is @slamdunk406